and it is a very frustrating thing as a parentfrustrating and heartbreakingto watch your childtake onsomethingto carry somethingthat isn't his to carry

God gave me a teachable moment todayyou knowwhere HE taught MEeven though I thought I was teaching the kid...

God is good...He is...He knew us before we were born...he pulled the DNA together,heck, He put the markers on the DNAbefore he pulled it togetherHe KNOWS USour quirksour desiresour ticsour weaknessesour faultsour failuresour sins...

He knows it all...and He created us anyway,individuallydesignedin HIS imagetrulydesigned and carried outbecause HE DEEMED US WORTH ITanywayeven with our ''issues''

but see,here is where my kiddo runs into troubleand where I run into troubleand I'll be so bold as to say where YOU also run into trouble...

we don't believe the TRUTHwe fall for those other voices...the ones that call out to us,we give them more power, more credence, more strengththan we giveto the VOICE that called the very universe into existence...

See, Satan is STRONG and POWERFULand don't ever, for ONE second believe otherwise...and he is smart...and subtle...and the king of deception...his game he runs?he takes the truth, puts a little spin of distortion and then grinds it in...hard...

those attributes are good...in that they make him a good leader,he's weighs choices and decisions...

but you take those qualitiesput a little spin on themand you have a kidthat is robbed of enjoying a theme park, because he is overwhelmed by fear of someone taking a siblingor a ride not working correctly...you have a kidparalyzedbyfear

this morning, we met those fears head to head...i reminded himGod KNEW when He created him that he would be natured the way he was...that he would love dr. pepper with no ice,that he didn't like condiments with his food,that he liked things 'just so'that he liked to take care of things/people, liked to know where things were...I reminded him that God knew each and every quirk he had and that not only that, that God had DONE THE WIRING to make him that way...

but I also told himSatan knew those things...and Satan's tool, Satan's game is to play on our weakness...Satan always distorts truth...he takes what God make...twists it...he takes my kiddos inclination to want to know everything/everyone is okand takes it to the nth power to the point where he is in tears, worried...scared...

do you see that...i'll tell you just as i told himthat feelingthat tightness in your chest...that yucky feeling in your stomach...that heavy weight on your heart...that fear that you carry like a backpack...all.satan'slies...

because God's desire is what?

JOY and that we may have it ABUNDANTLY...

if Satan can whisper in our ear...make us think we are unworthy...our choices have been so blown...our sin was too big...our mistakes TOO bad...if he can keep us weighed down with that defeat ...then what?... we are NOT JOYFUL and he gets to do a little dance of victory...

I also reminded that kid of mine...that TRUTH says...

we are not given a spirit of fear...but of POWER and LOVE and of a SOUND MIND...

satan attacks our thought lifeour emotionshe makes us feel lonely and scaredthen he full on attacks us...hit us with unworthiness and fearand reminds usof all we've done

until we are curled upin fetal postioncryingbecause we are scaredthat someone is missing...

oh but Y'ALL

this is the good part...

The Voice of Truth, tells me a different story...The Voice of Truth, says do not be afraid...The Voice of Truth, says this is for my glory...out of all the voices calling out to me...I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth...(casting crowns, 'voice of truth')

just as I told my kiddothat momentwhen you feel thatfearworrycreeping upwhen satan starts reminding you and bombarding youyou stopand you sayTHAT IS NOT THE TRUTH

(whispers) cause it's NOT

and when Satan presses in harder, pushing all your buttons and emotionsyou press back and say THAT IS NOT TRUTH

and at the very point, where you think it's too much, you are too tired, you are too scared, too worried, too frightened

THAT IS NOT THE TRUTH

THATISNOTTHETRUTH

Jehovah Jireh ...the God who will provide a way...will indeed provide a way

1 comment:

Great post. Fear has been a strong topic of study for me lately. I grew up with some really paralyzing fears as well, and have really struggled to overcome so many of them and still struggle with too many of them still. Funny I've been in discussion with friends lately about this very topic. It was good to see someone come at it from a different angle.

It's me

I am considering writing my congressman to have my birthday declared a national holiday (yes, I really like my birthday that much)

I'm was married and I'm a mom.

I've been blogging since 2004.

and it's a full spectrum show around here...there is momma blogging, running blogging, Jesus blogging, food blogging, crafty blogging, cancer blogging and sometimes I really kick up the excitement and snap a picture of my latest fingernail polish shade. :D

I have met some incredible people via my ''magic box''.

I love to read.

I love to crochet.

I'm a runner.

Coffee makes me happy.

Really happy.

My kids amaze me.

They are more than I ever deserved.

I have four of them and I homeschool.

I prefer a neatly presented package--but am learning that life is more about messy wrapping and lots of scotch tape.

I am flawed. I make lots of mistakes. I question a lot of things-often.

I don't always feel like it makes sense.

But God always does & I'm learning to just trust Him and swim around in the grace He extends.

In June of 2012, my then ex husband Donald, was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer with mets to his liver. He had exactly zero warning signs. He is forty-three. He is currently undergoing chemo treatments via a chest port every two weeks. He will have chemo for the rest of his life.

There were reasons for our divorce and a cancer dx did not magically make those go away. But God has a plan, greater than any I would create and far different than I ever imagined. This is God making beauty from ashes.